Alfred Kiffin Lunsford
August 13, 1917 ~ February 16, 2001
Resided in:
Marshall, NC
Asheville Butterfly TrailMr. Lunsford, known as Kiffin to his family and “Duck” to his business associates, is survived by his wife of 58 years, Iris Teague Lunsford; three daughters, Sandra Utter of Swannanoa, Gail Lunsford of Marshall, and Brenda Lilly of Sherman oaks, CA; three grandchildren, Chapel Gennett of Washington, DC, Cady Jenkins of Black Mountain. and Gentle Gennett of Charlotte; and one great-grandchild, Cassidy Rose Jenkins.
He is also survived by his sisters, Mary Medford and Gloria Lange of Asheville, Lyall Poole of Greenville, SC, and Catherine Kirwin of West Simsbury, CT, and one brother, John Lunsford of Norfolk, VA. He was preceded in death by his sisters Chauvin Kinsman and Sister Ethel Lunsford, RCE, and a brother James Lunsford.
Born on August 13, 1917, in Nebo, NC, he was the fourth of nine children of Blackwell Lunsford and Emma Chauvin. Looking back on his life, Kiffin Lunsford was most proud of his military service and his construction work on the St. Lawrence Seaway during the 1950’s. But his life-long adventures began when, as a child of ten during the Great Depression, he went to work to help support his large family. His stories of that period have entertained and inspired all his friends and family members.
At the start of WW II, Kiffin Lunsford enlisted in the US Navy and served with distinction in the South Pacific until 1944. His ship was disabled during the assault on Tinian Island in 1944 and he then returned to California.
During the next several decades he ran a number of businesses in the Asheville area and in 1980 he retired to his long-time residence in West Asheville. For the past twenty years Kiffin has been working on the property he shared with his wife in Sandy Mush. Until recently he had spent his days clearing land, setting fences, and planting on this long-abandoned family property - leaving his descendants a spectacular place in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
Funeral services will be at 3:00 pm Monday at Piney Grove Baptist Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery.
His family will receive friends from 7 - 8:30 pm Sunday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue.
Memorials may be made to the WW II Memorial Fund, PO Box 96074, Washington, DC 20090-6074.
Dear Iris, Sandra, Gail,and
Brenda,
Also Mary,Gloria,Lyall,
Catherine,and John,
I’m sorry to hear of Kiffin’s
death. Also sorry to have
missed the wake on Sunday and
to have expressed my sympathy
in person.
I always remember the Lunsford
family with fond memories.
Love and Prayers,
Joan Mulvaney Johnson